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All you need to know about traffic convictions

Motoring offences come in all shapes and sizes. If a driver is convicted of a motoring offence, then depending on how serious their case is, they could receive penalty points on their licence, a fine or a jail sentence.

A traffic conviction doesn’t just mean a mark on your driving record. It could also make it difficult for you to find competitively-priced car insurance. If you’ve received a driving ban as a result of the conviction, then some insurance providers could refuse to cover you altogether because they’ll consider you too risky to insure.

The Insurance Factory has decades of experience in helping convicted drivers get back behind the wheel. Our convicted driver insurance comes with all the same benefits as a standard car insurance policy, and we strive to be as competitive as possible with our pricing. We understand that the past is the past, and will aim to get you back driving as soon as possible.

As Gov.UK explains, each endorsement is given a code and you’ll receive from three to 11 penalty points. The more serious the offence, the more points you’ll get.

The offence codes and penalty points will stay on your driving record for four to 11 years, depending on the nature of the offence.

Which? has created a useful table explaining the maximum penalties a driver can get for some of the most common and the most severe traffic offences. Let’s start with the traffic offences that may carry the greatest penalties:

Offence (code)

Penalty points

Fine

Driving ban

Jail term

Causing death by dangerous driving (DD80)

3-11

Unlimited

2 years minimum (and re-test)

10 years

Dangerous driving (DD40)

3-11

Unlimited

Obligatory

6 months

Causing death by careless driving due to being unfit through drink or drugs (DR40/50)

3-11

Unlimited

2 years minimum (and re-test)

10 years

Driving above the legal alcohol limit/unfit due to drink or drugs (DR10/20/80)

3-11

£5,000

Obligatory

6 months

Failing to stop following an accident/report an accident (AC10-20)

5-10

£5,000

Discretionary

6 months

Driving while disqualified (BA10)

6

£5,000

Discretionary

6 months

Driving after having licence revoked on medical grounds (LC50)

3-6

£5,000

Discretionary

6 months

Now let’s take a look at the maximum penalties for some other common offences that don’t carry a potential jail sentence:

Offence (code)

Penalty points

Fine

Driving ban

Driving without due care and attention (CD10)

3-9

£2,500

Discretionary

Driving without insurance (IN10)

6-8

£5,000

Discretionary

Driving a car with defective brakes/tyres/steering (CU10/30/40)

3

£2,500

Discretionary (obligatory if caught twice in three years – 6 months minimum)

Not driving in accordance with the driving licence (LC20)

3-6

£1,000

Discretionary

Using a hand-held mobile phone while driving (CU80)

6

£1,000

Discretionary

Failing to have proper control of the vehicle or full view of the road ahead

3

£1,000

Discretionary

Speeding (SP)

3-6

£1,000

Discretionary

Traffic signal offences (TS)

3

£1,000

Discretionary

Driving a car with no MOT

£1,000 (fine only)

Seat belt offences

£500 (fine only) and £250 if a child is caught without a seatbelt

If you receive a traffic conviction and get penalty points on your licence, then you must tell your insurance provider. If you were to take out cover without telling your provider about a conviction, it’s likely to render your policy invalid and any claims you make are likely to be refused.

What is a DG10 conviction?

A DG10 conviction code is for driving, or attempting to drive, with a drug level above the specified limit. You can receive between 3 and 11 penalty points for a traffic conviction like this. It will stay on your record for four years from the date of the conviction, too, which means you’ll need to look for specialist convicted driver insurance during that time.

Driving disqualifications

As we mentioned, endorsements will stay on your driving record for four to 11 years, depending on the offence.

If you build 12 points or more within three years then you can be disqualified from driving. A driving ban could last six months if you receive 12 or more points within three years; a year if you receive a second disqualification within three years; and two years if you get a third driving disqualification within three years.

The rules are different for new drivers, however. If they build up six or more points within two years of passing their test, then they’ll have to apply and pay for a provisional licence and retake both the theory and practical tests again.

A disqualification lasting 56 days or more means that you’ll need to apply for a new licence before you can get back behind the wheel. You might also need to retake your driving test or take an extended test – the court that issued your disqualification will tell you this. If your driving ban lasts less than 56 days then you won’t need to apply for a licence before you can drive again.